“I’m glad to say that this year we have no compliance findings with any of the programs tested, nor do we have any internal control issues with those programs,” said auditor Dan Toepfer at last week’s Parish Council meeting. “This is basically a salute to your finance department and your federal programs department.”

Never before, Toepfer said, has the parish had such a volume of federal money, and next year that budget is expected to be even larger.

The parish received $59.8 million in federal money this year, up 13.3 percent from 2011.

After hurricanes Gustav and Ike, Terrebonne was chosen to receive $144 million in Community Development Block Grants. To date, the parish has spent only $35 million of that money.

Of the $144 million, the parish has been given approval from the state to spend $26.2 million on housing programs, about $10 million of which will be used specifically for affordable rental properties.

The parish also plans to spend about $104 million to improve infrastructure such as pump stations, levees and coastal barriers.

“All this is stuff that’s going to happen,” said Terrebonne Parish President Michel Claudet. “We just used money for the Baroid Pump Station, the Summerfield Pump Station and also the Ashland Pump Station.”

Parish officials cite higher sales tax revenue this year and an increase in property tax money next year for the ability to spend more in addition to a healthy cushion of federal dollars.

The new budget aims to improve the parish’s roads, drainage and coastal-restoration efforts. Also in the budget are plans to build a skate park.

Claudet said the parish plans to use any remaining block grant dollars for an injection into the local economy.

“Whenever we get those federal dollars, we spend it locally and it goes to our contractors, and the money continues to ripple through the economy,” he said.

Claudet said the increased sales tax revenue is another reason to extend Westside Boulevard and connect it to Equity Boulevard.

“Continuing that extension will open up another avenue for commercial and retail areas to get those tax dollars,” he said.

Terrebonne is the only area in the region, Claudet said, that has large, conglomerate shopping centers such as Academy Sports, Sam’s Club, Dillard’s and Target.

“These are things that bring people from around the region,” he said. “If we can get more of these regional entities to come to our area, that’s more money that will come in, and when people come they stop off at restaurants and they spend money at all kinds of service stations and on and on.”

<p>There were no major findings of financial concern in Terrebonne Parish government's annual financial report, auditors hired by the state say.</p><p>The Houma auditing firm Bourgeois Bennett conducted its annual audit of Terrebonne Parish's financial records for the year ending Dec. 31. </p><p>“I'm glad to say that this year we have no compliance findings with any of the programs tested, nor do we have any internal control issues with those programs,” said auditor Dan Toepfer at last week's Parish Council meeting. “This is basically a salute to your finance department and your federal programs department.” </p><p>Never before, Toepfer said, has the parish had such a volume of federal money, and next year that budget is expected to be even larger.</p><p>The parish received $59.8 million in federal money this year, up 13.3 percent from 2011. </p><p>After hurricanes Gustav and Ike, Terrebonne was chosen to receive $144 million in Community Development Block Grants. To date, the parish has spent only $35 million of that money. </p><p>Of the $144 million, the parish has been given approval from the state to spend $26.2 million on housing programs, about $10 million of which will be used specifically for affordable rental properties. </p><p>The parish also plans to spend about $104 million to improve infrastructure such as pump stations, levees and coastal barriers. </p><p>“All this is stuff that's going to happen,” said Terrebonne Parish President Michel Claudet. “We just used money for the Baroid Pump Station, the Summerfield Pump Station and also the Ashland Pump Station.”</p><p>Parish officials cite higher sales tax revenue this year and an increase in property tax money next year for the ability to spend more in addition to a healthy cushion of federal dollars. </p><p>Property tax revenues had increased by about $5.2 million. The 5.6 percent sales tax money increase yielded about $2.4 million. </p><p>The new budget aims to improve the parish's roads, drainage and coastal-restoration efforts. Also in the budget are plans to build a skate park. </p><p>Claudet said the parish plans to use any remaining block grant dollars for an injection into the local economy. </p><p>“Whenever we get those federal dollars, we spend it locally and it goes to our contractors, and the money continues to ripple through the economy,” he said. </p><p>Claudet said the increased sales tax revenue is another reason to extend Westside Boulevard and connect it to Equity Boulevard. </p><p>“Continuing that extension will open up another avenue for commercial and retail areas to get those tax dollars,” he said. </p><p>Terrebonne is the only area in the region, Claudet said, that has large, conglomerate shopping centers such as Academy Sports, Sam's Club, Dillard's and Target. </p><p>“These are things that bring people from around the region,” he said. “If we can get more of these regional entities to come to our area, that's more money that will come in, and when people come they stop off at restaurants and they spend money at all kinds of service stations and on and on.”</p>